Wish Book: Neighborhood Hands uplifts, gives sense of belonging to unhoused residents

"While most of the city slept in their warm, comfy beds, hundreds of homeless residents gathered around the crack of dawn to help clean up the park in exchange for a $20 cash stipend offered by the nonprofit Neighborhood Hands. It's a familiar sight, as they've been coming here every other weekend since the organization rebooted in 2020. For many, it's more than the opportunity to earn some money and clean up the park."

"The roots of Neighborhood Hands sprouted in 2018 when its founder, Bill Sullivan, noticed the growing encampments at Columbus Park and sought out a few people living there to see if they would help him clean up. With 10 shovels, a couple of brooms and a couple of hundred dollars in his pocket, Sullivan - a Bellarmine College Prep alum recently inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in recognition of"

Neighborhood Hands organizes biweekly park-cleanup shifts that pay participants $20, attracting hundreds of unhoused residents in San Jose. The program offers more than short-term income by fostering community, accountability, and a sense of belonging for participants. Many participants report improved stability, goal-setting, family reconnection, and employment progress after joining. One participant moved from living in a tent to interim housing and now supervises at work, while continuing to volunteer. The initiative began in 2018 when the founder engaged people living in encampments to help clean parks with minimal tools and funding.

Read at The Mercury News